(adapted from MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing website)
Research has shown that the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student papers are in response to that assignment. Instructors can often help students write more effective papers and projects by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments or on an “assignment sheet” tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment. Assignment guidelines should detail:
the kind of writing expected
the scope of acceptable subject matter
the amount and type of research expected (if any)
the audience
the purpose for the writing
the writer’s role
the length requirements
formatting requirements
documentation format
deadlines for the first draft and its revision
Providing questions or needed data in the assignment helps students get started. For instance, some questions can suggest a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might suggest a procedure to follow. The questions posed should require that students assert a thesis.
THINGS TO CONSIDER 1. How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your class? 2. What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment? 3. Should this assignment be an individual or a collaborative effort? 4. What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of your field of study?
DEFINING THE WRITING TASK 1. Make clear the sequencing of the assignment: drafting, revision, opportunities for feedback and policies about re-writing. 2. Clarify the main focus of the paper or project and include sub-questions but not too many sub-questions so as to confuse students about the major issue they should examine. 3. Define the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already learned, find additional information, synthesize research, examine a new hypothesis, make a proposal)? 4. What is the required form (e.g., expository essay, lab report, memo, business report)? 5. What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration, analysis, persuasion, a combination of two or more of these)?
DEFINING THE AUDIENCE FOR THE PAPER OR PROJECT 1. Define the audience for the piece. Ideally, it is someone other than you, the teacher, and the students in the class. 2. What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic itself? What is the probable educational and economic background of the intended readers?
CHECKING YOUR ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES 1. Have you used explicit command words in your instructions (e.g., “compare and contrast” and “explain” are more explicit than “explore” or “consider”)? The more explicit the command words, the better chance the students will write the type of paper you wish. 2. Does the assignment suggest a topic, thesis, and format? 3. Have you told students the kind of audience they are addressing — the level of knowledge they can assume the readers have about the topic. 4. If the assignment has several stages of completion, have you made the various deadlines clear? Is your policy on due dates clear? 5. Have you presented the assignment in a manageable form? For instance, a 5-page assignment sheet for a 1-page paper may overwhelm students. Similarly, a 1-sentence assignment for a 25-page paper may offer insufficient guidance.
SAMPLE WRITING ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
Writing Assignment Guideline Analysis
CREATING EFFECTIVE WRITING ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
(adapted from MIT’s Comparative Media Studies/Writing website)Research has shown that the more detailed a writing assignment is, the better the student papers are in response to that assignment. Instructors can often help students write more effective papers and projects by giving students written instructions about that assignment. Explicit descriptions of assignments or on an “assignment sheet” tend to produce the best results. These instructions might make explicit the process or steps necessary to complete the assignment. Assignment guidelines should detail:
- the kind of writing expected
- the scope of acceptable subject matter
- the amount and type of research expected (if any)
- the audience
- the purpose for the writing
- the writer’s role
- the length requirements
- formatting requirements
- documentation format
- deadlines for the first draft and its revision
Providing questions or needed data in the assignment helps students get started. For instance, some questions can suggest a mode of organization to the students. Other questions might suggest a procedure to follow. The questions posed should require that students assert a thesis.THINGS TO CONSIDER
1. How exactly does this assignment fit with the objectives of your class?
2. What do you want the students to learn or experience from this writing assignment?
3. Should this assignment be an individual or a collaborative effort?
4. What do you want students to show you in this assignment? To demonstrate mastery of concepts or texts? To demonstrate logical and critical thinking? To develop an original idea? To learn and demonstrate the procedures, practices, and tools of your field of study?
DEFINING THE WRITING TASK
1. Make clear the sequencing of the assignment: drafting, revision, opportunities for feedback and policies about re-writing.
2. Clarify the main focus of the paper or project and include sub-questions but not too many sub-questions so as to confuse students about the major issue they should examine.
3. Define the purpose of the assignment (e.g., review knowledge already learned, find additional information, synthesize research, examine a new hypothesis, make a proposal)?
4. What is the required form (e.g., expository essay, lab report, memo, business report)?
5. What mode is required for the assignment (e.g., description, narration, analysis, persuasion, a combination of two or more of these)?
DEFINING THE AUDIENCE FOR THE PAPER OR PROJECT
1. Define the audience for the piece. Ideally, it is someone other than you, the teacher, and the students in the class.
2. What is the probable attitude of the intended readers toward the topic itself? What is the probable educational and economic background of the intended readers?
CHECKING YOUR ASSIGNMENT GUIDELINES
1. Have you used explicit command words in your instructions (e.g., “compare and contrast” and “explain” are more explicit than “explore” or “consider”)? The more explicit the command words, the better chance the students will write the type of paper you wish.
2. Does the assignment suggest a topic, thesis, and format?
3. Have you told students the kind of audience they are addressing — the level of knowledge they can assume the readers have about the topic.
4. If the assignment has several stages of completion, have you made the various deadlines clear? Is your policy on due dates clear?
5. Have you presented the assignment in a manageable form? For instance, a 5-page assignment sheet for a 1-page paper may overwhelm students. Similarly, a 1-sentence assignment for a 25-page paper may offer insufficient guidance.